Sunday, July 17, 2011

Looking Beyond the Closed Door

Okay,
I think I'm more convinced than ever before that I'm a strong woman.
That the depression and all I've endured have given me a strength that I wasn't fully aware of.
Well, not til now anyway!
Allow me to explain.

I started a new job April 11th.
I was pretty happy about it too!
Brought back my sense of pride, dignity,
gave me my self worth back!

Friday July 15th, 2011,
my employer IQT Solutions,
a call centre that handled phone calls for Bell Canada,
went into receivership.

This is how we were informed...

I went into work, just before 10am,
I wasn't scheduled to work until 10:45.
When I went in, all of my co-workers were having some system "down-time".
Basically,
NONE of our tools provided to us by Bell,
were working.
I'd been told before that it did happen from time to time,
however this was not the norm.
Everyone was in a fairly good mood considering we had yet to get our pay.
(it was payday!)
Around 12:00pm the director of our site walked around telling us all to pack up our things,
everything!
To meet him downstairs, he would explain it to us.
Of course there were rumours spreading,
gossip, speculations.
Sadly they all were accurate!

This is what we were told,
"at 10:00 this morning IQT went into receivership,
at 10:05, Bell Canada pulled their contract.
There is no pay, you will NOT be getting your pay cheques.
I strongly recommend you go to the labour board in regard to this matter!"

So, there I stood,
outside,
unemployed,
looking around at my former co-workers,
some crying,
some with blank looks,
some blood boiling.
I could hear comments such as,
"what are we going to do to pay our bills?"
"how do we get our money owed to us?"
"yay, summer off!"

Sure, those thoughts were in my head,
but the most predominant thought in my head?
Standing outside with the 600+ former co-workers,
"I have to compete with this many more people for a job!"
This is a VERY difficult time for job searching,
its a difficult time to be unemployed!

I was and am mad about my money!
I will follow process to get it!
I have a legal right to it!
So I came home and called the labour board,
filed a form online,
once I know more about who the trustee is for this case,
I will file for something called Wage Earner Protection,
a program offered to employees,
protection!

I contacted social services,
I contacted an agency that I know aids in finding employment!

On Saturday,
I handed out more resume's.

On Monday morning, at 8am,
my former co-workers are all meeting up at our former place of employment,
with the intention of banding together,
then heading to the local office for the Labour Board.
Everyone is going,
except me.

I have a job interview at 11am.
My priority is to find a job,
to get a pay cheque again!
Something that will make the fight with IQT and the trustee bearable!

I am SO much stronger now than I was 2 years ago!
This is a situation that could very well have affected my ability to function!
I would have coiled up, cried, given up!
Instead, I was proactive,
more I was ACTIVE in doing what I HAVE to do!

I often doubt my strength!
I know I shouldn't,
I know, especially now, that I am a very powerful force when it comes down to it!

I'm going to my job interview on Monday,
its a customer service based job,
one that some would consider menial,
but I know its one I will excel at!
My ideal job?
HELL NO!
But it will help pay bills!

I refused to allow this to knock me down!
I was telling those crying,
"this door closed, clear your eyes, look at the door that opened!"

I can't believe how calm I've been in all this!
I'm proud of me!
It's been such a difficult journey to get me here!

durhamregion.com had an article about what happened to us.
To read it, click
HERE

Also, a youtube video someone made...
HERE

A Montreal news paper, as IQT had 2 offices in Montreal!
HERE

On to my next chapter...

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